WBA Super, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has cast doubt on the resumé and fear factor of rival WBC king Tyson Fury.
With a two-fight series between the heavyweight giants currently being negotiated for 2021 after the duo fulfil their mandatory and contractual obligations, Fury is widely regarded as the outright betting favourite with odds of 8/15 available (BetFred).
Yet Joshua, a current 6/4 underdog, is unsure why some glorify Fury for his achievements.
“What have you seen from Fury? A couple of feints? Moving around? What have you seen that makes him seem so intimidating? Speed?” queried Joshua at a Sky VIP event. “If the sport is lacking so much talent then all you need is feints and movement to be classed as a great of this generation…..
“With hard work, motivation and studying you can overcome that.
“So what do people see in Fury that is so fearsome, intimidating, that he can’t be touched at the top level?” Joshua continued.
“I take him as a serious challenger, of course. But resumé? It’s taken him a long time to grow.
“His fight with Wladimir Klitschko was his first real challenge and he overcame it, but it took him eight years to build his experience and confidence. Then he had two years out and fought Deontay Wilder.
“He hasn’t been in the deep end for long enough to show me that he can swim there for a long time. You have to continually prove that you belong there. You don’t just come there once or twice.
“For me as a fighter, that’s how you gain my respect.”
Before they can settle their differences in the ring, Joshua must meet IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev while Fury has a contracted trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder, tentatively scheduled for December 19.
Joshua and Fury also have further mandatories due against Oleksandr Usyk (WBO) and Dillian Whyte (WBC) respectively.